Using lifting tongs on bucket

[tjones59]

5 acre lot with 2+ acres of woods. I pull out mostly fallen trees with a JD 2305. I’ve always skidded them from woods to woodpile down the legnth of the property which usually leaves ruts so I’ve been looking at some 4 claw skidding tongs to hook on the bucket and do less damage to the yard. The pics for these always show the bucket extended down with cylinders all the way out. I’m guessing that’s to use a hook on top of the bucket. None of that seems safe since that hook is a small point to be carrying that much weight and I’ve always been told not not to back drag with cylinders extended as that can damage them. Does anyone use these type of tongs and if so how do you mount them?

 

[Xfaxman]

Like these? Heavy Duty Solid Steel 28" 4 Claw Log Grabber Tongs (44026)

 

[Roadworthy]

I know nothing about this but would it be possible to rig something to the three point? It may be more substantial than the front loader.

 

[BlueKnife]

5 acre lot with 2+ acres of woods. I pull out mostly fallen trees with a JD 2305. I’ve always skidded them from woods to woodpile down the legnth of the property which usually leaves ruts so I’ve been looking at some 4 claw skidding tongs to hook on the bucket and do less damage to the yard. The pics for these always show the bucket extended down with cylinders all the way out. I’m guessing that’s to use a hook on top of the bucket. None of that seems safe since that hook is a small point to be carrying that much weight and I’ve always been told not not to back drag with cylinders extended as that can damage them. Does anyone use these type of tongs and if so how do you mount them?

I've owned and used a wide variety of tongs and various other things to lift, drag and otherwise move logs. (20 years doing tree work). You should not use tongs connected to a bucket. Your chances of damaging the bucket are real high, especially with the light buckets used for small tractors. Have you considered getting forks? Or preferably making forks, if you have fabricating capabilities.

 

[Xfaxman]

Check this thread: Loader Log Grapple?

 

[WranglerX]

I usually cut logs in multiples of 16 inches (actually 4 feet) and use forks to move them to "log deck" where they are later cut and split for fireplace size... For anything other than forks or a grapple, you need a swamper to "harness" logs to tractor....

 

[MossRoad]

5 acre lot with 2+ acres of woods. I pull out mostly fallen trees with a JD 2305. I’ve always skidded them from woods to woodpile down the legnth of the property which usually leaves ruts so I’ve been looking at some 4 claw skidding tongs to hook on the bucket and do less damage to the yard. The pics for these always show the bucket extended down with cylinders all the way out. I’m guessing that’s to use a hook on top of the bucket. None of that seems safe since that hook is a small point to be carrying that much weight and I’ve always been told not not to back drag with cylinders extended as that can damage them. Does anyone use these type of tongs and if so how do you mount them?

Unless you can balance the log in the middle you're sill gonna drag it. And you'd have to carry it perpendicular to the trail, so the trail has to be wide enough. If it's wide enough and that's what you want to do, I'd skip the tongs and use wide forks.

 

[CobyRupert]

I know nothing about this but would it be possible to rig something to the three point? It may be more substantial than the front loader.

…like on a small 3pth boom pole. Goldilocks length: not too short so tongs can raise high enough, not too long that front of tractor gets light. Seems like I’ve seen pictures of people use the boom from a post hole digger.

OP should also consider using skidding cone to reduce ruts, as the leading butt edge is the usually the biggest rut digger.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's how I gather my firewood...

 

[John_Mc]

Before I got my logging winch, I used tongs on my 3 point hitch. I had a little frame made up to hold them. Most of the time I was just lifting one end of the log, so balancing it was not much of a concern.

Someone here on TBN gave me a great tip for using them on the loader: if you use. chain to hang them off the upper lip of the loader and get the chain length set up just right, the tongs will hang in one orientation with the bucket curled forward. OR if you curl the bucket backwards, the cutting edge of the bucket presses against the chain, causing the tongs to rotate 90˚. This saved me a lot of trips on and off the tractor to set the tongs: since the tongs tend to close under their own weight, I can just lower them down over the log, then lift and they would grab. I have not used them much, since when I'm in logging mode I now have a forestry grapple on the front, and either my logging winch or forwarding trailer on the back.

FWIW: I much prefer a good set of 2-point tongs to the 4-point ones. The 4 points always just seemed like a gimmick to me. They don't make finding the balance point any less critical, since the whole thing will still pivot at the linkage if you grab the log off-center.

 

[Jstpssng]

When I didn't have a winch I had some short lengths of chain with hooks on the end attached to a standard draw bar for the 3pth. I used choker chains around the logs, which I then was able to attach to the hooks and raise the ends of the ground.

What worked even better was when I mounted a middle buster- aka, potato plow- backwards. I then was able to push the logs around with the plow blade.

 

[bdhsfz6]

You could make up something like this:

The wheels would make for less surface damage if the log is balanced & off the ground.

There are also commercial log trailers like this with 4 wheels. Pricey though.

 

[WinterDeere]

Tongs on a drawbar on the 3-point works fairly well, much more capacity than the bucket, and much less likely to tip the machine.

I've dragged hundreds of cords of logs out of the woods with a Ford 3000, usually working about 1/2 mile in from our staging area, and we've found 3-point to be infinitely better than bucket. However, I'll also say we've found chain chokers to be infinitely more reliable than tongs, when going any sort of distance over any sort of rough terrain.

 

[WinterDeere]

Oh, I should have added: If you're actually lifting the logs rather than dragging, then tongs are great. I use them for lifting logs over the side of my trailer, when unloading it:



That said, chain chokers are still more secure, and let you grab more than one at a time:



Both have their place.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^
If I tried to pick up that top log with my tractor, it would lift the rears instead. Also, please don't tell me that you burned that hundred dollar bill log.

 

[WinterDeere]

^^^^^
If I tried to pick up that top log with my tractor, it would lift the rears instead. Also, please don't tell me that you burned that hundred dollar bill log.

I burn dozens of logs nicer than that, every year! The reality is that I'm surrounded by big oaks and walnuts, and while it's not uncommon to have someone accuse me of burning "veneer quality" logs, the mills around here don't want them, or won't pay us what they're worth to me as firewood.

I also don't like stacking wood that's less than perfectly pin straight. I leave all crotches and knots in the woods, as much as I can. I usually lop the top off the tree, leave that to go back to nature, and just take the straight trunk home.

 

[Gregster613]

I burn dozens of logs nicer than that, every year! The reality is that I'm surrounded by big oaks and walnuts, and while it's not uncommon to have someone accuse me of burning "veneer quality" logs, the mills around here don't want them, or won't pay us what they're worth to me as firewood.

I also don't like stacking wood that's less than perfectly pin straight. I leave all crotches and knots in the woods, as much as I can. I usually lop the top off the tree, leave that to go back to nature, and just take the straight trunk home.

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WinterDeere, That's all just fine as long as you have enough land and growth stock to ensure it keeps returning the base you're drawing from! And it sure seems as if you draw many, many cords each and every year. Good deal as long as the main supply stock keeps producing your required base units!
But, I'd reckon it takes at least 20 years (or many more) for a tree that size to grow back - you must have a "Hugh" supply that you can draw from and feeds you. Good for you man! I sure appreciate all the pictures you show of harvesting firewood! Stay safe!

 

[WinterDeere]

Oh, yes... plenty of trees around here. Between a good friend's property, my church, and a few neighbors, I'm drawing on close to 100 acres of dense hardwoods forrest.

I haven't dropped a healthy tree in many years, at least that I can remember. Everything you see here was blown down in hurricanes Irene and Sandy, or our 2019 tornado, or dying from Emerald Ash Borer or other diseases.

 

[Gregster613]

Oh, yes... plenty of trees around here. Between a good friend's property, my church, and a few neighbors, I'm drawing on close to 100 acres of dense hardwoods forrest.

I haven't dropped a healthy tree in many years, at least that I can remember. Everything you see here was blown down in hurricanes Irene and Sandy, or our 2019 tornado, or dying from Emerald Ash Borer or other diseases.

Okay, if you mentioned 100 acres before I must have missed it. You've got plenty of area to draw from! I do recall that you gathered a lot from the hurricanes and diseased trees so I realize you're "not" shortening the lifespan of the growing stock. That's good and will keep you in firewood for a long time then!

 

[tjones59]

Thanks to all for your comments and wisdom!